The Kimball graphic. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1905, 1887-01-07

prlcklng her with pine burrs until the
poor animal fairly writhed with
agony. In n minute we had freed her
and Parsons held the poor bleeding
creature close to his breast. His
small. square figure seemed to rise
and dilate with certain sense OF su-
periorpower. as he turned his blanched
face and blazing eyes upon the crowd
You call yourselves gentlemen"
he said harshly, "you, who have
tortured q poor. dumb, defenseless
creature, left in your care. Thank
God my meaning OF the word is differ.
ent! You hav no excuse. You
are all supposed to be men, and hon
orable men, men who are fighting for
the rights of their country, and yet
you can amuse yourselves with sense
less cruelty such as you have prac-
ticed this afternoon. You have brand
ed yourselves as towards and liars,
for his voice broke suddenly-"I
trusted YOU"
There was an ominous, threatening
stir in the little tent, and several men
stepped out toward the speaker, pic
turesque in his very unpicturesque.
ness whose grotesque figure stood out
sharply against the bit of landscape
showing through the opening OF the
tent. But his face awed them back.
The goat turned, and moaned pitt
fully, rubbing her nose against Par
sons coat with mute insistence. His
face softened wonderfully, he seemed
to forget the men, his anger, every
thing, and he whispered to her in soft,
caressing tones.
"You have followed me through
thick and thin, Miss Anna. When
the overflow came and we We're
starving, it was you who struggled back
to us through the water. and it
was your milk that kept us alive
Everything depended then on your
strength. We called our baby after
you, and when the poor little one died
it cut me cruelty, cruelty. can never
forgive this days work. Be brave,
Miss Anna. be brave" and putting
his cheek on Miss Annals head the
tears fairly rolled out of his eyes.
He stopped a minute, drawing in his
breath in short, quick, little sobs and
threw out both hands with forlorn
gesture of abandonment.
80! great God! | was so lonely
when wife and babies all were dead,
and l loved Miss Anna then; ] love
her now as the one relic left me OF
that beautiful, vanished past.
Then the war came and | tried to
leave you, thinking it would be best,
but you followed me, to be ridiculed,
despised and even tortured. All the
conduct OF the last week breaks over
me and see what q blind fool have
been"
"Parsons, you are to 60 on picket
duty tonight" and you had better
start now, called in the voice of our
lieutenant. The men, now thoroughly
ashamed of themselves, came nearer,
and were about to offer some heartfelt
words OF apology. but Parsons turned
away, and delivering 'Nliss Annie"
over to Orphee, said pleadingly:
"If anything should happen to me,
you will take care of her 2"
Orphee's eyes filled with tears as he
pressed the extended hand.
Without another word or look Par
sons strobe out into the dark.
"We're brutes, cowardly brutes,"
said our Virginian disgustedly.
81 would rather face million Yam
KEGS than hear that mans story told
m mn rhat voice again, SAID another.
lha1 hisht was u weary one. we
couio not forget the solemn hgure, the
larh' pa9!ehI lace, Ihe broken, marsh,
.saaer voice. ana the pines ABOVE and
.,4e river iar away seemed TO mlngle
thelr griel at our cowardlce and bru-
talty: Meanwhile MISS Anna" slept
peacefully on the best blanket OF the
mess wh,le we lay there sleepless,
thoushtful, unhappy, even the great
ef issue OF the war momentarlly tor
got1en.
With the dawn came action. The
Yankees were upon us, and we fought
like wildcats. AS evening came on, the
fight was suspended, and when our
mess met everybody was there, "Nliss
Anna" included, except Parsons. We
had made up a scheme to beg his for
giveness and to swear to begentlemen,
at least. Each ofu had a separate
speech OF apology to make expressive
OF shame and contrition. When night
settled down, and Parsons did not
appear, we grew anxious and sat 81
lently around, not daring to breathe
the great fear uppermost ir our minds,
"Nllss Anna" too, walked up and
down uneasily, shifting the air and
rubbing her nose against any convent
ent shoulder. AS we sat thus, our
lieutenant called in to me
Harrison, step hera aminute.
arose and went out q little un-
steadily.
Parsons was hurt last night, on
guard, and has asked to see you. Go
now, there isn't much time, I'm
afraid"
He turned to lead the way.
II may tell them9" l asked.
"No use" he answered shortly. as